Mind Your Business!

When I meet someone for the first time I am often asked, “What do you do for a living?” I may reply that I am a massage therapist and yoga teacher, or a self-employed healthcare professional, or simply a businesswoman. It is the last description or label that seems to bother some people (as I recently experienced) because it seems to defy our noble, vocational choice of a life dedicated to helping others.

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is the understanding of how language/words/terms can affect how we react or respond to others. It might not be uncommon for some people to associate the terms businessman, businesswoman or business person with a ruthless and money driven individual who will stop at nothing to get what they want! Perhaps, in certain cases, this may be true. However, it takes a certain amount of dedication and perseverance to set up, run and maintain a business which is solely devoted to the service of others. The majority of people who work in the yoga/pilates and therapy industries will have invested their own finances in their training. Entering into these highly competitive fields means acquiring a certain business acumen of understanding who your clients are and how you will find them. Self promotion can be quite unnerving so some of us establish a’ brand’ to make this process easier. You must learn how to deal professionally with Banks and Accountants, Music Licencing, HMRC and Intellectual Property, amongst others; in short, you MUST become a business person.

So I ask you please do not judge me harshly for this. I am self reliant and have created my own job which means I am contributing to the economy for the benefit of society. As my business grows I am able to give more time to help others for free; I currently support Waterside Cancer Support in Hythe every month and recently gave 2 free classes to raise money for Heads Together. This is what brings me joy and satisfaction, alongside watching someone benefit from practising yoga or seeing the difference a massage can make. This is what I do; this is who I am.

And, I am also a businesswoman.

H x

P.S. I would like to thank all my clients, past and present, for their help, patience, understanding and respect over the 28 years that i have been a therapist and 10 years I have been a yoga instructor. I could not have done this without you.